ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Searching for Berenice: Major Retrospective and Catalogue Reassess Berenice Sydney

exhibition · 2026-08-03

On 8 October 2026, the Gillian Jason Gallery in London will unveil the first extensive catalogue and significant retrospective dedicated to British artist Berenice Sydney, which will be available until 21 November 2026. Although her works are featured in more than one hundred collections globally, including the Tate and the British Museum, her contributions have remained largely overlooked for over forty years. Titled 'Searching for Berenice,' the exhibition is the result of three years of research and showcases paintings, prints, drawings, and studio materials. Sydney, who passed away at the age of thirty-eight in 1983, was active in over forty exhibitions and represented Great Britain at the 1974 Biennale della Grafica d'Arte in Florence.

Key facts

  • Exhibition 'Searching for Berenice: A Retrospective' runs from 8 October to 21 November 2026 at Gillian Jason Gallery, 19 Great Titchfield Street, London W1W 8AZ.
  • First comprehensive catalogue of Berenice Sydney's work will be published in October 2026 after three years of research.
  • Sydney's work is in over 100 permanent collections including Tate, British Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, and Smithsonian Institution.
  • Sydney's practice included painting, printmaking, costume design, writing, and performance.
  • She participated in more than 40 exhibitions and represented Great Britain at the Biennale della Grafica d'Arte in Florence in 1974.
  • Sydney died in 1983 at age 38; a Royal Academy memorial 'Salute to Berenice' was held in 1984.
  • A 2018 presentation at Saatchi Gallery was a rare recent engagement with her work.
  • Exhibition includes archival references, ephemera from Goldsmiths University Library, sketchbooks, printing plates, artist's books, and costumes.
  • Millie Jason Foster, Founding Director of GJG, stated: 'Acquisition is not the same as attention.'
  • Sydney described her work as catching 'the contained energy of colour, a split second before the explosion.'

Entities

Artists

  • Berenice Sydney

Institutions

  • Gillian Jason Gallery
  • Tate
  • British Museum
  • Victoria and Albert Museum
  • Smithsonian Institution
  • Royal Academy
  • Saatchi Gallery
  • Goldsmiths University Library
  • Biennale della Grafica d'Arte

Locations

  • London
  • United Kingdom
  • Buenos Aires
  • Argentina
  • Florence
  • Italy

Sources